By Our Reporter
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal fell in the minority after the CPN-UML, the main coalition party withdrew its support and the UML ministers resigned en-masse on July 3. His government also lost the support of Janata Samajwadi Party led by Ashok Rai after the ministers from the party also quit the government on Monday.
After the Nepali Congress and the UML decided to forge a new alliance dramatically, the Dahal-led government is supported by only the Rastriya Swatantra Party and the CPN (Unified Socialist) which have 63 members combined in the 275-member House of Representatives. The UML and the NC enjoy a comfortable majority with 166 members. Yet, PM Dahal chose to face the vote of confidence although both the NC and UML urged him to pave the way for the formation of a new government. His decision to face the vote of confidence has raised suspicion as to what compelled him to undergo the floor test which he is sure to lose. And it may not be a surprise if he resigns by Friday.
His first goal seems to prevent KP Oli from becoming the Prime Minister. He has expected that if he fails to win the vote of confidence, President Ramchandra Paudel will be compelled to form the new government as per Article 76 (3) under Sher Bahadur Deuba as he is the parliamentary party leader of the largest party. But both NC and UML have denied this. Likewise, Dahal had expected to play in the NC and convince it to form the government under Deuba. Dahal also reportedly offered the post of the PM to Oli as well. But both Deuba and Oli turned down his offer. Now his no plan seems to yield the result as he had expected.
With the failure of winning the trust of the House, Dahal is sure to return to Khumaltar in a week vacating Baluwatar for Oli.
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